Cook to close out successful career in Wheeling
Oct. 2—Kerri-Anne Cook has established herself as one of the best girl golfers in West Virginia over the last four years. But to limit her in any way would be selling her way short.
The Westside senior will close out her high school career Tuesday and Wednesday at the state tournament in Wheeling, her third time qualifying for the event. Those first two stops were, as they say, business trips. She finished third in Class AA as a freshman and last season was sixth.
"It's definitely been a lot of fun," Cook said. "I've met a lot of amazing people throughout the years."
By all accounts, Cook classifies as one of those amazing people. Still, she's out to beat them and has done plenty of that.
With West Virginia not yet at the point where it can sanction girls golf as its own sport, Cook has competed against the boys her entire high school career. She has been low medalist several times, including at last season's Class AA Region 3 tournament when she turned in a 71, six strokes better than the next two golfers.
This year she finished with a 73, one shot behind medalist Cooper Ward of Shady Spring.
On the girls tour, Cook has been even more successful.
She won her second West Virginia Junior Amateur Championship in June. Then, in August, she won the WVGA Callaway Junior Tour Championship to cement her third consecutive Girls Player of the Year award for the 15-18 age division.
Her four trips to the West Virginia Girls Invitational have all resulted in top-five finishes. She was runner-up last month and as a freshman in 2020, fifth in 2021 and third her junior year.
The tournament is sponsored by the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission as a way to promote the sport and possibly open the door to one day sanctioning girls golf.
"It definitely means a lot, because it kind of gets the younger girls excited to see that, where it's such a male populated, dominated sport, it's nice to have a tournament where it's just the girls and you can see how many girls actually play golf," Cook said. "For a tournament that means so much, it's just nice to go up and play well in it."
Of course, Cook is used to being around boys on the golf course. It's a family affair for her, introduced to the sport by her dad, Dale, at the age of 3. Her brother, Caleb, played in the state tournament all four years of his high school career, helping the Renegades to the 2018 Class AA state title.
Cook plans to play golf collegiately, although nothing is concrete at this point. She said she has spoken to a few schools and will make a plan.
"It (playing women's golf) would be a little different, because I kind of grew up playing with the guys all the time. But then I also play with girls all through the summer," she said. "I feel like it would just be more comfortable."
Cook started playing tournaments when she was 8. She said she spends more time on the driving range and practice game than she does on the course.
"She's been nothing but an excellent student-athlete. Leader, at times, when she had to be. Just all around great kid, great golfer," Westside coach Jeremy Warrix said. "Work ethic is unmatched. She's constantly practicing and working on her game. That's all she's done for four years, just what she can do to get better. ... I can remember when I coached her brother years ago when she was in grade school she was striving to get better. I knew that when she got to high school that she was going to be pretty daggone good."
Now, here she is, closing it out with a chance to go out on top.
"I definitely need my short game to be on, and to have my driver hitting straight would be (good)," Cook said. "And definitely be putting well. These greens are tough."
Email: gfauber@register-herald.com; follow on Twitter @gfauber5
